Work-support for leather-working machines.



y Tl Hl AWORKSUPPORT FOB. LEATHER WORKING MGHINBS.-

APPLICATION FILED APB. 8,1908.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

`close contact or substantially so.

UNITED `STA'IES PATENT onirica.

THOMAS H. MARRINAN, Ch` WOBURN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNCR TO WOBURN MACHINE COMPANY, OF WOBURN, MASSACHUSETTS, A COPARTNERSHIP.

WORK-SUPPORT FOR LEATHER-WORKING- MACHINES;

To all whom 'it' may concern:

Be it hnown that I, Tetonas H. Mnnnnvan, a citizen of the United States, residing` in Vtloburn, in the county of Middlesex and State of lt/lassachusetts, have invented an .lmprovem ent in llVorleSupports for Leatherlllforlqing ldachines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, lile letters on the drawings representing lihe parts.

This invention relates to a pneumatic bed cr support for leather working machines, and has for its object to provide a simple and elicient support or bed which is especially adapted among other uses, to be employed in whitening or bufling machines, whereby a very light touch of the cutting tool or bladed cylinder upon the hide, shin or leather may be obtained, so as to avoid the removal of too much of the thicker part of the steelt.

ln laccordance with this invention, the pneumatic bed is composed of aplurality of tubes or hollow yielding members containing air under pressure and independently responsive to external pressure, said tubes being arranged parallel to one another' and in rlhe pan allel tubes have cooperating with them a pad of yielding material, preferably rubber', which is provided with a substantially smooth outer surface, and with an inner or under surface having a plurality of parallel or substantially parallel grooves for the reception of the uoper portion of said tubes, the said grooves lbeing of sufficient depth to receive a considerable portion of the tubes and cause the spaces between adjacent tubes to be filled by portions of the pad, as will be described, so that the entire surface of the pad may be evenly supported by pneumatic pressure.

These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this speciiication. i

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of bed or support embodying this invention. Fig. 2, an end elevation with parts broken away of the bed shown in Fig. 1 and F ig. 3, a cross section on theline 3 3, Fig. 1.

In the present instance l have shown the invention as embodied in a substantially flat bed, of the same general shape as the bed now commonly employed in machines known as whitening or bul'ling machines, to'which my invention `is particularly applicable, but

` Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 8, 1908. Serial N0. 425,875.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

I do not desire to limit my invention to the particular form of bed herein shown.

Referring to the drawings and especially Fig. 3, a represents a wooden or other base or support for the pneumatic bed, which latter is composed of a plurality of tubes or hollow members b, of rubber or other yielding material containing air under pressure, and arranged parallel or substantially so and preferably in contact with one another. In the present instance the tubes or members o are connected at their opposite ends to pipes c, d, extended transversely of the support o and provided, as shown, with nipples c, f, over which the ends of the tubes or members b are slipped and rnily secured, by wires g or in any other suitable manner. One of the end pipes as d is closed at its ends,

and the other is provided as herein shown with branch pipes 7i, t, one of which ash may be provided with a suitable checlr valve y', similar to that used in a bicycle tube, and constitutes the air inlet pipe for the bed, and the other pipe i may be connected by a tube m with a pressure gage n of any suitable construction, by means of which the air pressure within the bed may be made known to the operator. The tubes or hollow members l) of the pneumatic bed rest upon the base or i support a, in contact with one another or substantially so, and have cooperating with them a pad 0 of rubber or other yielding material, which is provided o n its under surface with substantially parallel grooves 5 (see Fig, 3) of a su'liicient size to receive a considerable portion of the tubes or hollow members and rel'eiably said grooves are made substantial y semi-circular, so that the portions of the pad between the grooves are made materially thicker than the portions directly above the grooves, and of such thickness as to fill or substantially fill the spaces between adjacent tubes. As a result of this construction, the air pressure within the tubes or hollow members is uniformly distributed throughout the width and length of the pad, and consequently the operating tool, which is usually a bladed cylinder, is caused to act uniformly on the skin sup )orted on the bed. The pads o may be held in place on the tubes or hollow members l), by means of a thin casing or layer of leather 7, which is secured to the base or support a by tacks 8 or otherwise. The bed may further be provided with a bolster 9 of leather or other suitable material which protects the casing 7, pad o and rubber tubes Z), and may be secured at its ends to the base a by tacks 10 or otherwise. Y

The bed herein shown is especially adapted for use in machines employed for whitening and bufling leather and by regulating the pressure of the air within the tubes or hollow members a, the touch or cut of the bladed cylinder usually employed in this class of machines is adjusted to perform its work in the most efficient manner. Y

In the present instance, l have shown the invention as embodied in one form oi bed, which is commonly referred to in the trade as a flat bed, but l do not desire to limit my invention to the particular formoi bed here- Y in shown.

proximity to one another, a pad ol yielding material supported by said hollow members and provided on its under side with grooves for the reception of said members, means for retaining said pad in position on said hollow members, and a bolster supported by said i pad, substantially as described.

2, In a Work support or bed of the character described, in combination, a base, a

Aplurality of hollow yielding members extendpipes extended transversely of said base and provided withnipples to which said. hollow members are secured, and a pad supported by said hollow members and provided on its under surface with grooves for the rece tion,v oi said ,hollowl members, substantial y as described.

3. In a Work support or bed of the charac- -v tery described, in combination, a base, aplu-` rality oi' hollow yieldingmembers 1n communication with eachother and supported by said base, and a pad supported by said hollow members and provided on its under.

side with grooves l'or the reception of said hollow members, substantially as described.

ll. lna worl support or bed of the character described, in combination, a plurality of hollow yielding members in communication with one another and arranged in substantially Vclose proximity to one another, and a pad supported by said members, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

p THOMAS H.`MARRINAN. Witnesses:

Jas. H. CHURCHILL, J. MURPHY. 

